Blog Post

Reasons You’re Still Getting Sunburned

With summer in full swing, more people are spending time enjoying the outdoor sunshine. Unfortunately, most of us have also experienced the results of enjoying a little too much sun and not enough sunscreen. Everyone knows to lather on sunscreen if spending a significant time outdoors, especially at the beach. However, have you ever experienced a sunburn despite wearing sunscreen? Not only is it painful, it’s extremely frustrating when you believed proper precautions were taken. However, just applying sunscreen may not be enough to keep you protected against the sun’s UV rays.

Below are some reasons you’re still getting burned:

Using spray sunscreen. The appeal of spray sunscreen is obvious; it’s easier and more convenient. However, there is no way to make sure you’ve covered every inch of your skin. Lotions and solid sticks require you to run them into the skin, which makes you cognizant of areas that have and haven’t been covered.

You’re using the wrong SPF. Just because your sunscreen is a thick lotion, it does not mean that it has a good SPF. SPFs with zinc oxide and titanium oxide formulas create a barrier on your skin and block the sun’s rays.

You aren’t wearing a hat or you’re wearing the wrong kind of hat. It’s easy to forget covering your head when it comes to protecting yourself in the sun. Not only do hats protect the face, they shield your scalp. However, not all hats are created equal when it comes to the sun. The typical sun hat can allow the UV rays to peek through and sunburn your scalp. Instead, opt for a baseball cap, which can block 98% of the sun’s rays. Another way to protect your scalp? “Wear your hair slicked back without a part,”

You’re not reapplying sunscreen often enough. You should reapply your sunscreen, no matter the SPF, every two hours. Even though an SPF 30 can give you up to 300 minutes before you burn, this number can change depending on the UV index each day. Also, lighter skin tones should apply more frequently.
You wait until you’re in the sun to apply. Sunscreen needs about half an hour to bind with skin so the skin will absorb rays for 30 minutes if you haven’t pre-applied. Always put on your first coat of sunscreen before you leave the house.